The Shepard Effect
by Cyborg.127
Summary: Latest Update: Added end to Chapter 2. An ambitious novelisation of my original playthrough of the series, starting right at the beginning and going until the end of the first game. Perhaps it will carry on further, depending how things go. Male Shepard.
1. Preface

The Shepard Effect: Preface.

Greetings.

When I learnt about Mass Effect many years ago, it was from a flatmate. The second one had just been released, and he knew I enjoyed RPG style games, as well as FPS. He understood the importance of story to me, and kept me _completely_ spoiler free so that when I played the game for the first time ever, I could choose at will with no idea what was in store for me. He stressed how choices made a difference in not just the first game, but also the second, and I came up with an idea – no second guesses. Anywhere. Quicksave was frequently used after decisions so that if I died or there was a critical mission failure I could not go back and choose/act differently. Now I'm pretty sure most of you here will have done the same that I have, and made multiple characters with different actions and choices, quite a few pre-planned with having prior knowledge. Even I made the Shepard I wanted to have, in regards to choices, but that's not the story I have here.

I have the story of Jaric Shepard. This is the Shepard I used for my first playthrough in ME2 as well, with no prior knowledge. I avoided any game sites, fan sites, absolutely anywhere during these first times that might even hint to outcomes or paths to choose in the games. On the release of ME3, I did not buy it straight away, and almost avoided the internet altogether. And yet I still heard of the terrible ending. I waited, torn, indecisive as to whether I should get the game or not. On one hand, I needed to know how the story ended, and knew that I needed it to be Jaric's story, but how disappointed was I going to be? You can have the greatest story, but if the ending is terrible that's what people are going to remember, no matter what the journey was like. By the time I had made my mind up that I could not leave it at the end of ME2, the endings had been adjusted for ME3 which I'm guessing made them a bit better.

I would like to take you on a journey, in a familiar place with familiar people, but told from a different perspective. I tried to immerse myself in this character, tried to give him some history and an attitude. As I played the game, I realised there was no time limit on decisions, so I decided to limit myself. I didn't want to overthink anything, I wanted to try and react as realistically as possible for the character.

I would like to share his story. The first instalment will be coming soon (work in progress right now), which will be a focus on the initial Eden Prime mission, and the events just beforehand (character creation bit). I would also like to say I will focus on the main story only, side assignments will not be discussed, unless they are relevant to part of the character. I will base the decision whether or not to continue (I may just keep writing for myself anyway) on the comments I get from you folk.


	2. Chapter 1 - Eden Prime

Chapter 1 – Eden Prime

Newly promoted Commander Jaric Shepard stared out the window of the station. A blue glow came from the planet Earth below, gently illuminating his face. Examining his faint reflection, he was still not used to who was staring back at him. A strong, previously clean-shaven jaw that used to belong to a Lieutenant was now shaded by thick, coarse stubble. The hair on his head was almost as short as the hair on his face. Blueeyes travelled along the vicious scar that ran down the left side of the face, testament to both ability and fortune. Jaric resisted the urge to acknowledge that scar with his fingers, as if by not physically touching it could somehow erase the events that transpired to create it. If he had been a split second slower, or had an infinitesimally less amount of luck, the scar wouldn't run from just outside his left eye to the left side of his mouth, very slightly pulling his lips into a one-sided grimace. As Jaric's eyes drifted over his scar, so too did his thoughts drift back to the events that caused it. Anyone who looked in on him now would see a man staring out a window, lost in thought.

Elsewhere in the station, three men were looking over Alliance Personnel Files. Currently, they were discussing the very man staring out a window at nothing. Three of the most important men for the Alliance had long been in conversation. Captain Anderson was a man of medium height, dark complexion and solid build. Clean shaven with very short hair, he sat across the table from Ambassador Udina, the liaision between humans and the Galactic Council. Udina was not military, but an excellent politician, and was almost the opposite of Anderson. Where Anderson looked tough and solid, Udina looked quick and wiry. Anderson had a round face, with softer features while Udina was all angles and sharpness. To the side was the commander of the Alliance fleet, Admiral Hackett. An older man with white hair, he had a full but well groomed beard and close cropped hair, but retained a solid air of authority. Each one was looking at a file.  
"Well, what about Shepard?" Udina's voice ranged somewhere between a baritone and tenor, with unidentifiable inflections. A slight nasal twang gave the impression that he was looking down on everybody when he spoke. "He's lived aboard starships most of his life, won't trouble him to be on another."  
"True, Udina." Anderson spoke with a deep and solidvoice. "Military service runs in his family, too. Followed in his parent's footsteps by enlisting in the navy. What are your thoughts, Admiral?"  
"He recently saw his whole unit die on Akuze." Hackett had a rough, gravelly voice. "He could have some serious emotional scars. He hasn't been on active duty in weeks."  
"Every soldier has scars of some form, Admiral." Anderson murmured, almost to himself, before continuing in a louder voice "Wouldn't you say he's been inactive long enough? Shepard's a survivor."  
"Is that the kind of soldier we _want_ to protect the galaxy?" An unmistakable sneer could be heard from Udina. Anderson looked towards Udina, his face unreadable.  
"That's the only kind of person who _can_ protect the galaxy, Ambassador." The three men glanced between each other and the files they had in their hands for a few minutes, then Hackett nodded to the other two. Udina stood up, straightening his clothes.  
"I'll make the call."

Shepard broke from his thoughts when his comm unit alerted him to an incoming call. Turning away from the window he moved over and activated it.  
"Shepard."  
"Commander Shepard, Sir, this is Corporal Taggart."  
"What can I do for you, Corporal?"  
"You are being returned to active duty, Sir. You have been reassigned under Captain Anderson, aboard the Normandy. I am instructed to tell you to prepare your things for immediate transfer, and then report to themain briefing room."  
"Thank you, Corporal. Please advise Captain Anderson I will be along shortly."  
"Yes Sir." The Corporal terminated the call. As Shepard allowed his body to automate through packing his gear, a task he had done many times before, his mind could only wonder what sort of assignment it was that he could not ask any questions about. Almost as if it was glad to consider something other than Akuze, his thoughts turned to potential scenario after scenario. It would have to be something to do with the Normandy, the latest ship to join the Alliance Fleet, which was also said to have some brand new had never really unpacked in this room, and it didn't take long before he was walking through the station, a determined stride displaying that on some subconscious level he was ready, despite any personal doubts he might have.

The Normandy was a ship design unlike any Shepard had ever seen before. A combination of Human and Turian engineering design had produced something sleek, small and nimble. After he and the rest of the personnel had boarded the ship, it had undocked and headed towards the edge of the solar system to make the first scheduled jump test. The ship was far quieter than a standard Alliance frigate, at times you could almost forget you were on one. During this flight Shepard was walking towards the cockpit of the Normandy while his thoughts raced. The briefing had been short. Very short. Captain Anderson had introduced himself, advised that he was now under his direct command, and told him to report to the hangar bay where the Normandy was docked for a shakedown run. This would not have bothered him so much if he had not been joined on board shortly by Nihlus, a Turian Spectre.  
The pilot of the Normandy, who Shepard had been told was named Jeff Munroe but was called Joker, was currently issuing ship-wide broadcasts of ship readiness for the upcoming jump. Shepard wanted a different viewpoint than the crew quarters for this event, and the walk also gave him time to look over the interior of the ship. As he approached the bridge, he frowned slightly when he noticed Nihlus standing nearby, overseeing the work of Joker. The only other person present in the cockpit was seated in the co-pilots chair, a Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko. Kaiden had been assigned to Shepard as part of his team, along with a Corporal Richard Jenkins. In addition to this first jump, the Normandy was scheduled to visit a remote Human settlement on Eden Prime as part of the shakedown, where Shepard and his team were to make landfall. This information had not been revealed until all the crew were on board, which to Shepard had seemed a bit odd. His thoughts turned back to the upcoming jump as Joker made another ship broadcast.  
"The board is green. Approach run has begun." Shepard could hear the faint mechanical noise of the ship changing slightly in shape, the engines drawing in to group closer together to assist in a smoother jump. He looked out the window at the giant Mass Effect Relay, which at the size of a small moon dwarfed even the biggest Alliance ships. "Hitting the relay in 4.. 3.. 2.. 1…"  
As the Normandy got closer, the relay sent out an energy link, resembling lightning, which bathed the ship in a blue glow. Some people did not appreciate the beauty of a jump, and indeed it even made some people claim to be nauseous – though this was highly attributed to mild hypochondria as there was no evidence from medical testing. Shepard was not one of those people, and smiled inwardly as the blue light coalesced into a small shield around the ship. He could hear the energy from the relay increasing in intensity, and knew that in a moment they would be propelled through space to their destination, momentarily leaving a shaft of scintillating blue light that other ships could see.  
"Thrusters.. check. Navigation.. check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift just under fifteen hundred K." Joker went through his post jump check with efficiency and professionalism. Shepard noted the internal emissions sink being engaged, and wondered why they would be using the stealth technology in this friendly area.  
"Fifteen hundred is good." Nihlus remarked. "Your captain will be pleased." He turned and left the cockpit area. Joker checked over his shoulder, waiting until the Spectre had gone from sight and earshot.  
"I hate that guy." Joker muttered. Kaiden glanced at Joker.  
"Let me get this straight." Kaiden said. "Nihlus gave you a compliment, so you hate him."  
"Remembering to zip up your jumpsuit after going to the bathroom is good." Joker replied. "I just jumped us halfway across the _galaxy_ and hit a target the size of a pinhead. That's incredible." Joker paused a moment, and shifted in his seat. "Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like him being on board. Call me paranoid."  
"You're paranoid." Kaiden snapped. "The Council agreed to help fund this project, they can send someone to keep an eye on their investment."  
"Yeah, that's the official story." Joker snorted with contempt. "Only an idiot believes the 'official' story."  
"They don't send Spectres on shakedown runs." Shepard added.  
"So there's more going on here than the Captain is telling us." Joker looked like he was going to say more, but was interrupted by an intercom communication from Captain Anderson himself.  
"Joker. Status report."  
"Just cleared the relay, sir." Joker dropped back to professionalism. "Stealth systems engaged, everything green."  
"Good." Anderson replied. "I want you to link us in to the nearest comm buoy, so we can keep Alliance brass fully in the loop."  
"Aye aye, Sir. Also, you might want to brace yourself. I think Nihlus is headed your way." There was a slight pause, and then Anderson replied with a disapproving tone.  
"He's already here, Lieutenant." Kaiden shook his head, Joker winced. "Send Commander Shepard to the comms room for a debriefing." A beep indicated Anderson had disconnected the conversation.  
"You hear that, Commander?" Joker queried.  
"Thanks a lot, Joker." Grumbled Shepard. "You pissed the captain off, now I get to deal with him." Shepard turned and left the cockpit. Joker turned to Kaiden.  
"Is it just me, or is the Captain always pissed off?"  
"Only when he's talking to you, Joker."

Shepard nodded in passing to Navigator Pressley, the ship's XO, as he headed toward the communication room. Before he got there he found the other member of his team, Corporal Jenkins, in conversation with Doctor Chakwas, the ship's medical staff.  
"I'm telling you, Doc, there's something not right. I grew up on Eden Prime, it's a peaceful place, almost paradise. Sending a Spectre there doesn't make any sense." Jenkins was looking fairly animated and passionate about his thought, while Chakwas just looked slightly amused.  
"And I'm telling you, Richard. The Captain is in charge, not the Spectre. We go where he says."  
"Come on, Doc. The Spectres don't have rules. They can do what they want, when they want, where they want. They can kill who they want." Shepard decided stepping in at this point would be a good idea.  
"This ship is under Captain Anderson's command, Corporal. We are to report to him, not to Nihlus." Shepard put a suggestion of a reprimand in his words.  
"Yes, sir." Jenkins saluted. "I'm just saying, with the Spectre here the mission must be something special."  
"I see troops like you quite often in my infirmary, Richard." Admonished Chakwas. "Too eager and getting themselves injured all the time."  
"I just want to get out there and prove my worth!"  
"Take it easy, Corporal." Advised Shepard. "You've got plenty of time ahead of you in your career."  
"That's easy for you to say, sir. Everyone knows what you've been through." There was a slight hint of awe in Jenkin's voice. Shepard knew what he was talking about, and did his best not to think about it. Not now.  
"Just treat it like any other normal mission, Jenkins, and you'll do fine. Dismissed."  
"Sir." Jenkins saluted once more, then walked away.  
"Thank you, commander." Murmered Chakwas. "I hope he listens to you, instead of me. I really mean it when I say I see too many men like him in my clinic."  
"I'll do everything I can to keep him out of there, Doctor." Shepard promised. "But for now, I have a meeting with Captain Anderson. Excuse me."  
"Of course, commander. Goodbye."

Shepard entered the communications room, but Captain Anderson wasn't there. Nihlus was, watching one of the video screens. As Shepard approached, he turned and spoke.  
"Shepard. I was hoping you would get here first. It will give us a chance to talk."  
"What about?" Shepard asked guardedly.  
"I'm interested in this world we're going to. Some say it's beautiful."  
"I wouldn't know." Shepard shrugged. "I've never been there myself. But one of my team members on board grew up there. He says it's almost a paradise."  
"It's more than just that though, isn't it Shepard? Eden Prime is a symbol to your race. A new colony in paradise at the edge of your territory." Nihlus turned back to the display, which Shepard realised had some footage of Eden Prime itself. "Proof that humanity can not only establish themselves on new worlds, but protect them also." Nihlus paused, and tilted his head a little. "But how safe is it, really?"  
"Is that a threat?" growled Shepard. "Are you trying to scare me, Spectre?" Nihlus turned and shook his head slightly in amusement.  
"Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a _very_ dangerous place." Nihlus folded his arms and looked Shepard directly in the eyes. "Is the Alliance truly ready for this?" Shepard knew that on some level Nihlus was testing him, assessing him for something. And it wasn't the human race Nihlus was wondering about – this was a little more personal.  
"I think it's about time we told the commander what's really going on." Captain Anderson had arrived unnoticed by Shepard, who turned to face him. Nihlus nodded, then spoke.  
"This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run, Shepard."  
"I already figured that out. Even Joker suspects something is up."  
"Even with his attitude, Joker is an exceptional pilot, Shepard." Anderson replied. "I'm not surprised he noticed something." Anderson took a moment before continuing. "We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That's why we needed the stealth systems operational."  
"Why the secrecy? What could be this important so far out?"  
"This comes down from the top, Commander." Anderson held up a placating hand. "Strictly on a need-to-know basis." Anderson walked slowly to stand beside Nihlus as he spoke. "A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of 'beacon' during a routine excavation. It was Prothean."  
"Prothean?" Shepard remarked. "I thought they vanished fifty thousand years ago?"  
"Their legacy still remains." Nihlus interjected. "The mass relays, the Citadel, our ship drives. All of it is based on Prothean technology."  
"This is big, Shepard." Anderson continued. "The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred _years_."  
"I presume this is the item we're picking up, then." Shepard said. "But why?"  
"Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this." Anderson explained. "We need to bring the beacon to the Citadel so we can study it properly."  
"Obviously this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander." Nihlus took over. "This discovery could affect every species in Council Space."  
"Then I'm glad the Council sent some support for the mission, instead of leaving it for us to do all the work ourselves."  
"I'm also here to help if things go wrong, Shepard." There was a slight tension as Shepard wondered what version of 'wrong' Nihlus was talking about.  
"There's more, Shepard." Anderson interrupted. "Nihlus isn't here just for the beacon. He's also here to evaluate you."  
"I guess that's why I keep tripping over him every time I turn around." Shepard muttered.  
"The Alliance has been pushing this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role interstellar politics. We want more say with the Citadel Council." Anderson hammered his fist into his hand. "The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come."  
"Not many could have survived what you went through on Akuze." Nihlus said. "You showed exceptional skill, as well as a remarkable will to live – a particularly useful talent. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."  
"You? Why would a turian want a human in the Spectres? I thought you hated humans."  
"Not all turians resent humanity." Nihlus responded. "Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer the rest of the galaxy, and to the Spectres." Shepard was quickly re-evaluating the turian as he spoke. "We are an elite group. It's rare to find an individual with the skill we seek." Nihlus paused, and leaned a little closer. "I don't care that you're human, Shepard. I only care that you can _get the job done_." Shepard turned back to Anderson.  
"I assume this is good for the Alliance."  
"Earth needs this, Shepard." Anderson admitted. "We're counting on you."  
"I need to see your skills for myself, Commander." Nihlus carried on. "Reading that report was only a beginning. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together."  
"You'll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it to the Normandy ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission." Shepard nodded as Anderson spoke, but had some questions.  
"Why is this beacon so important?"  
"Every galactic civilisation is based on Prothean technology, Shepard." Nihlus replied. "Even yours."  
"Our discovery of Prothean ruins buried on Mars was an important part of our history." Anderson clarified. "That was just a small data cache, but without it we'd still be stuck on earth. Who knows what we can learn from this beacon? What if it's a weapons archive? There is no way we can let this fall into the wrong hangs. Hence the secrecy."  
"I'm ready to go." Shepard said. "Just give the word, Captain."  
"We should be getting close to Ed-"  
"Captain! We've got a problem." Joker interrupted Anderson over the intercom.  
"What's wrong, Joker?"  
"Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You'd better see this." Joker sounded a little nervous.  
"Bring it up on screen here." Anderson commanded. Shepard and Nihlus moved either side of him to also watch the transmission.  
What followed was unmistakably a recording from a soldier's helmet. Also unmistakable were the sounds of heavy fighting. Fire from human assault rifles, pistols, and explosions gave a constant soundtrack to the events occurring, with some very non-human sounding fire in counterpoint. The camera swivelled around madly, as if the operator was trying to look in every direction at once. People yelling and screaming could be heard. Blurry glimpses of strange blue lights through smoke and debris could be made out, then a female soldier yelled "Get down!" as she dragged the cameraman prone. A few bolts sizzled overhead before she stood back up over the cameraman and returned fire at something in short bursts. The camera turned sideways to show more of the firefight. Shepard glanced towards Anderson and Nihlus, both were riveted by the transmission.  
"We need evac!" A voice yelled near the camera, and the camera turned to the owner. A male soldier alternated between looking at the camera and around him as he spoke. The audio was broken up by explosions. "We are -der attack! Taking heav.. -ualties. I repeat, heavy casualties! We can't –argh!" The soldier flinched as he took a hit. "-eed evac! They came out of nowhere. We need-" a round hit the soldier, propelling him sideways in a spray of blood. More explosions and screams where heard, before a new noise dwarfed the sounds of combat. The sound gave Shepard a chill. It seemed to be robotic in nature, and while it was a long drawn out note, it seemed to be made of multiple sounds in varying pitch. Shepard found himself almost clenching his teeth as he could _feel_ the noise reverberating through his body. Combat sounds tapered off as people on camera stared upwards, some in disbelief. The camera tracked the direction of their staring, and Shepard could understand that disbelief.  
Coming down through the thick clouds was something giant. Shepard at first thought it was a ship, but if it was a ship, it was of no design he had ever seen. The only way he could describe it was four giant robotic fingers attached to something obscured by the clouds reaching out to grasp something, with purple lightning arcing all over. It was visible for only a second before another explosion threw the camera sideways. It rolled around for a moment, then the feed cut out. The three of them stood there, staring at the static.  
"Everything cuts out after that." Joker advised. "No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing."  
"Reverse it." Anderson instructed. "And hold it… there!" On the screen they could now inspect the gigantic object, each lost in their own thoughts. Shepard pondered. It was certainly robotic, or mechanical in nature. But it was so _big_. Taking time to study the image, he revised what he thought it looked like. Not fingers anymore, but talons, or claws. After a few more moments, Anderson spoke again. "Status report!"  
"Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area." Joker reported.  
"Take us in, Joker. Fast and quiet." Anderson ordered.  
"A small strike team could move quickly, without drawing attention." Said Nihlus. "It's our best chance to secure the beacon."  
"Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold." Anderson replied. Nihlus nodded and walked out of the room. "Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, Commander. You're going in." Anderson stared at the image some more. "This mission just got a lot more complicated."


	3. Chapter 2 - Eden Prime - 'Complicated'

Chapter 2 – Eden Prime - 'Complicated.'

The Normandy approached Eden Prime and easily slipped into the atmosphere. Joker checked over the systems, making minor adjustments here and there as the ship conformed for atmospheric flight. Joker was making reports to Anderson over the comms.  
"Stealth systems nominal. Nobody will see us on scanners." Joker observed the automatic ground image captures as the Normandy passed over in high speed at low altitude. The land was far from undisturbed; multiple excavations were evident in numerous places. "Somebody was doing some serious digging here, Captain. The ground looks like swiss cheese."  
"Thank you, Joker." Captain Anderson was in the cargo bay, briefing Shepard and his team on the location of the dig site. He virtually had to shout over the sound of air rushing past the opening bay doors. "You are the muscle for this operation, Commander. Your job is to go in heavy, head straight for the dig site and secure it."  
"What about survivors, Captain?" Kaiden fidgeted a little in his armour.  
"Helping any survivors is a secondary objective, Lieutenant. The beacon is your top priority."  
"Approaching drop point one." Joker announced on the ship speakers. Shepard glanced to the side, where the turian was getting ready.  
"You're coming with us, Nihlus?" Jenkins sound half surprised, half hopeful as he queried the Spectre.  
"I move faster on my own." Nihlus replied as he checked his weapons, then ran out the now fully open doors as they reached the drop point. It wasn't a short drop to the ground, but that didn't seem to bother the turian in the slightest. The Normandy quickly lifted and headed towards the second drop site.  
"Nihlus will scout out ahead." Anderson explained to the remaining three. "He'll feed you status reports throughout the mission. Otherwise I want radio silence."  
"We've got his back, Captain." Shepard said. "He can count on us."  
"The mission is yours now, Shepard. Good luck." Shepard nodded to Anderson as he felt the Normandy bank, and slow.  
"We are approaching drop point two." Joker's voice announced from the speakers. Shepard, Kaiden and Jenkins readied themselves to disembark. As soon as the three were on the ground, the Normandy once again lifted off. Shepard glanced around, automatically reaching for a weapon. This was now hostile territory, and he wanted to be ready. Even as he was doing so, Nihlus contacted him on the secure radio channel.  
"This place got hit hard, Commander. Hostiles everywhere. Keep your guard up." Shepard acknowledged the report, but did not reply as there was no need. Moving away from the landing position, the group moved in the direction of the dig site, through grassy terrain interrupted by angular rock formations. As they passed a more flatter rock, Shepard realised the pair of blackened objects on top of it were bodies. Closer inspection revealed that the skin had been completely burnt off, and the muscle tissue underneath charred to blackness. Bits of white bone could be seen where the muscle was thinner. It must have been recent, as there were still small bits of flake and ash rising from residual heat.  
"Oh god." Jenkins voiced the thoughts they all had. "What happened here?" Neither Shepard nor Kaiden replied, there was something a little disturbing about the bodies. Shepard tried to put the thoughts out of his head as he indicated they should move on. Shortly they came over a gentle rise as they rounded a large boulder, and Shepard held up his hand for them to stop. Ahead was limited clear sight, as large irregular stone blocks and rocks dotted the dipping landscape. Shepard scanned the area but couldn't see anything, and indicated they should move on. As they neared the rocks, Shepard slowed a little. Something felt a bit off about the entire area. Jenkins eagerly move on ahead, weapon at the ready. Just as Shepard realised what he was looking at, it occurred.  
Shepard heard them before he saw them. Two combat drones lifted up in ambush from behind cover, nothing more than mobile hovering energy gun platforms with sensors. They must have been immobile with engines off to be silent, and ignited when detecting an enemy. Jenkins was caught in the open, and while personal shields could absorb a few direct hits, his shields were stripped by the rapid burst guns on the two drones. Even as Shepard was bringing his pistol up to fire, the shots tore through armour and flesh with ease. Jenkins let out a scream of pain as he was cut down, never having the chance to fire his weapon. Shepard fired as he ducked into cover, hearing Kaiden do the same. Without the element of surprise the drones were destroyed fairly quickly and silence once more descended. They moved over to where Jenkins lay, cautious for more attacks. Kaiden kneeled to check, but Jenkins was already dead. He closed the dead man's eyes as Shepard looked on with anger. He'd already lost too many men on Akuze, having Jenkins join them in death so soon afterwards almost felt like a physical blow.  
"Ripped right through his shields." Kaiden murmured as he stood up. "Never had a chance."  
"We'll see that he receives a proper service once the mission is complete." Shepard prodded Kaiden in the chest. "But I need _you_ to stay focused." Shepard wasn't sure if that last part was for Kaiden or to himself.  
"Aye aye, sir." They started to move out but had barely gotten anywhere before Shepard heard a tell-tale whine of more drones. "Incoming!" Kaiden called, he had obviously heard them as well. The two of them slid sideways into separate cover as three more drones approached, most likely summoned by a signal from the other two drones before they were destroyed. Once again the automated drones were easily dispatched, suggesting the drones were being used as scouts or civilian hunters. Either possibility infuriated Shepard. One that he lost Jenkins to these things, the other that the enemy was so callous as to slaughter civilians in such a way.  
"I've got a lot of burned out buildings here, Shepard." Another communication from Nihlus came through. "A lot of bodies. I'm going to check it out. I'll try to catch up with you at the dig site." Shepard holstered his pistol and readied his sniper rifle from his back. He would use the scope to look ahead further for any signs of danger. Kaiden remained close, so he could pause at the same time as Shepard did without any communication taking place. They moved on quietly and carefully through the rock-littered landscape, checking as they went. A few more corpses were found, but no more enemies to be seen. They passed through a small handful of large trees, and emerged to a small drop at the top of a rough but gentle down slope into a small valley. Shepard spotted a pair of figures and indicated for Kaiden to take cover as he did so himself.  
Before Shepard could check the figures through his scope, he heard the sound of more combat drones, except these ones seemed to already be firing at something. Peering over the top of the rock he saw a soldier come sprinting up from further downhill, being pursued by two drones. She was dodging and weaving through the rocky cover, even as she blitzed past the stationary figures. He saw her shield take a few hits, causing her to stumble and fall face first. In one smooth movement she had used the momentum from the fall to roll on her back, draw a pistol and take aim at the drones. A few rapidly well-placed shots destroyed the drones, and the soldier got to her feet and retreated behind a large rock, gasping for breath. The two unknown figures turned at the destruction of the drones, displaying to Shepard a head dominated by a single bright optical sensor, much like the drones had. They were synthetics. He realised there was a third figure there, what appeared to be a person being held. Just as he registered this information the person was held horizontally, and impaled through his back by a large metal spike which lifted him high into the air. A loud gurgling scream was heard, before the victim shuddered and went still. The synthetics then turned their attention to where the soldier was, who had readied her assault rifle preparing to defend against them. Shepard looked to Kaiden, who indicated he was ready. Shepard gave one nod, and Kaiden moved into action, weaving his way down the slope carefully trying to unknowingly flank the synthetics as they advanced upwards.  
Shepard lifted his sniper rifle and rested it on the rock. Taking aim at one of the synthetics, he lined up the head even as the light swivelled slightly and looked directly at him. An opportunity too good to be missed, Shepard smiled slightly as he pulled the trigger, sending a round straight through the light itself. The force of the shot exploded out the back of the head, and the synthetic fell over backwards. A moment later the second synthetic returned fire, as Shepard ducked back behind cover. He heard pistol fire as Kaiden opened up from a flanking position, and then burst fire as the other soldier joined in. As he rose back up to take another shot, he saw it was unnecessary as the second synthetic had been shredded. Hopping over the rock, Shepard made his way down towards the soldier, arriving just after Kaiden did.  
"Thanks for the help." The soldier said. "I didn't think I was going to make it." The soldier took a closer look at Shepard and Kaiden, and noticed their rank. She snapped to attention and addressed Shepard. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the two-twelve. You the one in charge here, Sir?" Shepard noticed the condition of her armour. Scorched, bent, chipped and torn, with some blood here and there.  
"Are you wounded, Williams?" He asked. She looked a little familiar to him. Ashley noticed the assessment and shook her head. Kaiden watched the area as the two conversed.  
"A few scrapes and burns." She shrugged. "Nothing serious. The others weren't so lucky. Oh, man..." Pausing for a moment to catch her breath, Ashley made her report. "We were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit." Pointing in a direction, she carried on. "We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications." Shepard realised where he had seen Ashley before. She was the soldier from the video they watched on the Normandy. "I've been fighting for my life ever since." Ashley sounded a little stressed.  
"Where's the rest of your squad?" Shepard queried.  
"We tried to double back to the beacon. But we walked into an ambush." Ashley hung her head, looking down at the ground. "I don't think any of the others..." She lifted her head back up. "I think I'm the only one left."  
"This isn't your fault, Williams. You couldn't have done anything to save them." Shepard knew all too well what it was like to lose troops under your command, and knew from her body language that the Gunnery Chief was blaming herself badly.  
"Yes, Sir. We held our position as long as we could. Until the geth overwhelmed us." Shepard had heard stories, but never seen any geth. Now, he had, and the stories fit. Synthetics with a complete disregard for any pure organic life, the geth killed without mercy or care.  
"The geth haven't been seen outside the Veil in nearly 200 years." Kaiden had overhead, and joined in. Nothing was moving in the area. "Why are they here now?"  
"They must have come for the beacon." Ashley shrugged. "The digs site is close. Just over that rise." As she pointed nearby, Shepard had a quick look in that direction. "It might still be there." Shepard returned his gaze to Ashley. Right now she needed to be kept active, to get her mind off the loss of her squad. Shepard had no such chance after his loss on Akuze. Also, the three of them stood a better chance of survival staying together.  
"We could use your help, Williams. Come with us."  
"Aye aye, sir." Ashley's voice took on a dangerous note. "It's time for payback."  
"Tell me what you know about the beacon, Williams." Shepard tried to deflect the anger a little.  
"I don't know much about the beacon itself. They were doing some digging to extend the monorail, and unearthed some Prothean ruins, along with the beacon. That's when they brought us in for security." Ashley looked a little uncomfortable at the mention of her unit.  
"Alright. It's time to go. Move out." Shepard instructed. "Williams, take the lead."

The trio didn't have to go too far to reach the dig site, it really was just over the over rise. Along the way Shepard noted another pair of bodies impaled on the spikes, but these ones resembled the burnt bodies they had encountered earlier. He didn't pause to investigate, that beacon was their main priority. Shortly they arrived, where to Shepard's complete lack of surprise there was nothing resembling any kind of beacon. Ashley glanced around when they got there.  
"This is the dig site." She confirmed. "The beacon was right here. It must have been moved." Shepard resisted the urge to make a smart remark, which gave Kaidan a chance to speak instead.  
"By who? Our side, or the geth?"  
"Hard to say." Ashley replied. "Maybe we'll know more after we check out the research camp."  
"You think anyone got out of here alive?" Shepard asked.  
"If they were lucky. Maybe hiding up in the camp. It's just on the top of this ridge, up the ramps." As they started to move, there was another communication from Nihlus.  
"Change of plans, Shepard. There's a spaceport up ahead. I want to check it out, I'll wait for you there."  
The group moved up towards the research camp, weapons out. Again it was only a short trip, which made sense as the research team would not have wanted to travel far to investigate the beacon. When they approached, Shepard noted a bit of smoke rising from the area which was shortly explained as they got closer. Wreckage was strewn around the camp, with a couple of small fires still going. A pair of portable living units were still mostly intact, although the door was blasted off one of them.  
"Looks like they hit the camp hard." Ashley said.  
"It's a good place for an ambush." Kaidan muttered. "Keep your guard up." As they moved around a larger rock, three more spikes with bodies were seen. Somehow these were different. The bodies had strange blue lights in a few places, almost like LEDs had been embedded in the skin. They got closer, and noticed the bodies were twitching.  
"My god!" exclaimed Kaidan. "They're still alive!" Even as he spoke, one of the spikes retracted downwards, and the figure lifted itself off in a shower of sparks.  
"What did the geth do to them?" Ashley sounded part curious, part horrified. As she spoke, the thing seemed to hear her. Turning in their direction Shepard saw the eyes had been replaced by two glowing lights, but it still seemed to have sight. Letting out an low pitched animalistic screech, the thing charged. Shepard didn't hesitate, and aimed his sniper rifle at the oncoming thing. Even as he did, he saw the other two spikes begin to retract so the others could join. Shepard fired a shot through its head, the force of the round knocking the thing over backwards. To his amazement, it started to get back to its feet before being riddled with fire from Ashley and Kaidan. Shepard didn't have the time to wonder about this, as the other two things had now gotten to the ground. Making the same screeching noise, they too charged the trio. Shepard let off a shot at the first one, but his aim was off and it merely glanced off a shoulder. Cursing to himself, he switched to his pistol while Ashley and Kaidan once again opened fire. The three pushed out a steady stream of fire, the pistols from Shepard and Alenko punctuated by bursts from Ashley's assault rifle. Although the second thing dropped before getting too close, the third would have been able to take a swipe at Shepard if not for Kaidan. As it got near, Shepard saw biotic energy coalesce around Kaidan, and then the thing was thrown back by an invisible force. It scrambled back to its feet and lunged forward again, but was not able to close before being taken down. Silence descended on the campsite.  
"What were those things?" Kaidan sounded a little unnerved, and Shepard didn't blame him. Shepard approached one of the now properly dead bodies, and took a closer look. It didn't take him long to figure out what they were.  
"Husks." One word was all Shepard needed to say. They had heard of husks in the past, a synthetic-organic creature created from organic beings. Obviously the metal spikes had something to do with this transformation process. The synthetic change was more obvious when up close and not moving, as well as the lighting on the body there were cybernetic tubes. The husks had shields produced by the synthetic composition, which gave them time to get into close range.  
"We have to stop this." Ashley was furious. "I've seen these spikes all over the place. There are dozens of them nearby, we can't let.. _this_ happen to anyone else." Shepard heard the disgust in her voice, and she looked ready to keep talking.  
"No we don't, Williams." He interrupted her. Ashley glared at him. "We have a mission, which is to recover the beacon. This takes priority over everything else, including survivors. Understood?"  
"Yes, sir." Ashley looked less mad, but still sounded glum.  
"Good. Now let's check out these structures." Shepard indicated the two nearby living quarters. Starting with the open one, a brief check inside showed nothing of interest. It was a single room dwelling that had a bunk bed and a pair of lockers for personal items. As nothing of interest was present, they moved to the second one.  
"That door is not just closed. The security lock's engaged." Ashley said. Shepard didn't reply, but stepped up to the lock. Activating his omni-tool, Shepard used his infiltration skills to quickly disable the basic lock. Opening the door, they stepped in to find two people hiding inside. One male, one female. Both dressed as scientists.  
"Humans!" the woman exclaimed happily. "Thank god!"  
"Hurry! Close the door!" the man whispered loudly in a panicked tone. "Before they come back!"  
"Relax." Shepard said. "We can protect you if something comes."  
"Thank you." Replied the woman. "But I guess with you being here, it means everyone else is gone. I think we'll be okay now."  
"Wait, you're Doctor Warren." Ashley said. "You were working with beacon. Do you have any idea where it went?"  
"It was moved to the spaceport this morning." The doctor replied. "Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp. When the attack came, the marines fought while we ran and hid." She looked down at the ground sadly. "They gave their lives to save ours."  
"Nobody is safe!" Manuel was borderline hysteric now. "The apocalypse is here, the age of man is ending!" Shepard blinked a few times, and turned back to Doctor Warren.  
"What's wrong with your assistant?"  
"He's a genius, but unfortunately he also has a bit of the other side of the coin. The stress from recent events has brought out the madness a little." Warren sounded sympathetic.  
"Is it madness to know the future? To see death and destruction rushing towards us?" With each sentence Manual grew louder, and more hysterical. "There is no escape! No hope! No future! No, I am not mad, I am the only sane on left!"  
"I gave him an extra dose of his meds after the attack." Warren said. "They haven't quite taken effect yet." Shepard look at Manuel, who showed no signs of slowing down.  
"Say goodnight, Manuel." Shepard loosened his shoulders.  
"You cannot silence the truth! My voice mus- ungh!" Manuel was interrupted mid-sentence by a powerful haymaker from Shepard, and he collapsed unconscious to the ground.  
"Oh my god!" Warren was outraged. "What did you do?"  
"That might have been a little extreme, Commander." Kaidan murmured from behind Shepard.  
"You can't just go around whacking people in the head!" Warren was clearly angry.  
"He's better off." Shepard shrugged. "It was only a matter of time before he did something crazy, and dangerous. It's safer for him to be asleep right now."  
"But.. You.." Warren spluttered angrily for a moment, before getting control of herself. "I suppose you're right. The meds will have kicked in by the time he wakes up." Shepard nodded, and turned to his team.  
"Williams. Take us to the spaceport. Doctor Warren, stay safe."  
"Good luck, Commander." Warren said in farewell.

The door slid shut again as Shepard and his team left. They checked weapons once again, and proceeded towards the spaceport, being guided by Ashley. She had informed Shepard that to get to the spaceport, the best path was to get to the nearby cargo train station where they could use a cargo train to travel the rest of the distance. An eerie silence had descended in the area, Shepard had either not noticed the lack of sound earlier or it wasn't quiet. Even the normal ambient sounds of distant machinery and animal life was gone. As Shepard considered this fact, the echo of a single shot was heard in the distance, coming from the direction they were headed. Shepard glanced at his companions, who nodded to indicate they had heard it too. Shortly they came into view of the train station, but none of them were looking at it. In the distance, where Shepard guessed the spaceport was, the giant purple talon-like object he had seen from the video feed on the Normandy was visible.  
"What is that? Off in the distance!" Kaidan had not seen it before, so his surprise was not unexpected.  
"It's a ship!" Ashley figured it out the same time as Shepard, but spoke first. "Look at the size of it!" The ship slowly lifted, taking off from wherever it had landed. Once again it emitted a mechanical sound, except it was slightly different from the one Shepard had heard on the video feed. They stood, muted by the noise and size of the ship, staring as it lifted up through clouds. Shepard found himself likening the ship to a squid in shape, but with differences that he wasn't sure he wanted to know about. Those talons for a starter, now looked more menacing than ever as they hinted at grappling and securing prey for destruction. As the ship went out of view, Shepard looked at the nearby train station, down the hill. Here, as with everywhere else, battle damage was evident. Cargo containers were damaged, burnt, and strewn around, and small fires still burned in a few places. The biggest piece of evidence that enemies had been here was the fact some still remained. Two more geth looked to be on sentry duty, and more husks were impaled on spikes. The range was good for sniping, and Shepard quickly outlined his plan to Ashley and Kaidan. Standard tactics, he would snipe the two geth while Ashley and Kaidan covered him from the husks, if they became active. And they did become active. Some form of unknown signal or network must have been in use, because as soon as the first geth had its head shattered, the spikes began to retract. By the time Shepard had managed to track and take down the second geth with a pair of shots, Kaidan and Ashley had begun to fire on the three husks charging up the slope. Shepard switched to his pistol, and at range the husks went down long before they got close enough to be any kind of danger. Silence once again descended as the last husk fell.  
"Stay together, and keep your eyes open." Shepard ordered. "Can't afford to drop your guard around here."  
"Got another locked mobile house unit over there, Shepard." Kaidan pointed at it, partway down the hill. Shepard nodded, and they moved towards it. As he stepped up to the lock, a voice called out from inside.  
"Everybody stay calm, we're coming out. We're not armed." The door unlocked from the inside, and three people stepped out. One man came out first, followed by another man and a woman. Shepard guessed them to be general labourers from their clothing.  
"Is it safe?" The woman sounded a little panicked. "Are they gone?"  
"It's safe." Shepard replied. "Nobody's going to hurt you."  
"Those things were crawling all over. They would have found us, we owe you our lives." The first man out was a little more calm than the woman. "That ship showed up right before the attack. Knew it was trouble, so we made a break for the sheds."  
"Tell them about the noise, Cole." The woman said. "That awful noise." The first man nodded, he was obviously Cole.  
"It was emitting some kind of signal as it descended. Sounded like the shriek of the damned, but it was coming from inside your own head." Cole shook his head as if to try and banish the memory. Shepard looked at Ashley.  
"That might have been what blocked your communication." Shepard guessed. Ashley looked a little unsure, she was also remembering the sound.  
"Whatever it was, it felt like it was tearing through my skull." Cole added.  
"I have to go." Shepard wanted to help them, but the mission came first. "There is a pair of researchers up the hill and along the way, they could probably use the help and company."  
"Hey, Cole." The other man spoke for the first time. "We're just farmers. These guys are soldiers, maybe we should tell them about the stuff." Cole turned angrily.  
"Geez, Blake! You gotta learn when to shut up!"  
"Something you're not telling me, Cole?" Shepard inquired in a mild tone.  
"Some guys at the spaceport were running a small smuggling ring. They used our sheds for storage in exchange for a small cut." Cole admitted.  
"You're breaking the law, Cole."  
"We're not hurting anybody! I didn't even know what was in the packages, but thought there might be something we could use. This time, it was a pistol." Cole shrugged. "Figured it might come in handy if those things came back. But you'll probably get more use out of it than us." Shepard took a little pity on the civilian, his team already had enough weapons.  
"Keep it, for now." Shepard said. "We've got enough guns, and it might still come in handy. But turn it in the first chance you get." Cole looked relieved.  
"Who's your contact at the spaceport, Cole?" Ashley fumed. "What's his name?"  
"He's not a bad guy, I don't want him to get in trouble, and I'm no snitch." Shepard almost admired Cole for standing up to an angry Ashley, had it not been for the wrong reasons.  
"Look, Cole." Shepard got in before Ashley did. "You can either tell us the name of your contact, and be on your way." His tone became threatening. "Or you can come with us and demonstrate how well that pistol works in a firefight." Shepard had been good enough to allow him to keep the pistol.  
"Okay! Powell!" Cole couldn't say the name fast enough. "His name is Powell. Works the docks at the spaceport, if he's still alive."  
"Go. Get out of here." Shepard turned to the train station, and spoke to his team. "We're moving."  
"Good luck." Cole said in farewell. "And... thank you." The last was said quite humbly.

Shepard headed down the hill again, the two others following. Nothing was moving this time, the small fires had finally sputtered out leaving a slight smoky haze, being cleared in a gentle breeze that was at odds with everything else. It only took moments to be moving among the few remaining crates at the station, where a body was discovered. Shepard recognised the shape, even before Kaidan spoke.  
"Commander… That's Nihlus." Kaidan quickly approached the body, and knelt over it. Shepard could see the entry wound quite clearly – Nihlus had been shot in the back of the head.  
"A turian?" Ashley asked. "You know him?" Shepard nodded in reply.  
"He's a Spectre." Kaidan replied. "He was with us on the Norm-"A sudden sound had all three pointing weapons at a nearby stack of crates, interrupting Kaidan.  
"Something's moving! Behind those crates!" Ashley spoke unnecessarily, as both Shepard and Kaidan had weapons trained on the same location she did.  
"Wait!" A voice called before someone stepped out. The man who stepped out had his hands raised, and was dressed similar to the farmers from before. "Don't shoot! I'm one of you, I'm human!"  
"Sneaking up on us almost got you killed!" Snarled Shepard.  
"I… I'm sorry. I was hiding, from those creatures." The man shuddered a little as he said 'creatures'. "My name's Powell. I saw what happened to that turian. The other one shot him."  
"Wait, you saw?" Shepard was a little surprised. "I need to know how Nihlus died." Powell nodded, and spoke.  
"The other one got here first. He was waiting when your friend there showed up. He called him Saren, I think they knew each other." Powell scratched his head nervously. "Your friend seemed to relax, he let his guard down… and Saren killed him. Just shot him, point blank. I'm just lucky he didn't see me behind the crates." Shepard frowned. Nihlus getting killed was bad, but there was nothing they could do for him right now.  
"We were told that a beacon was taken to the spaceport." Shepard changed the subject. "Did it come through here?"  
"It's over on the other platform." Powell indicated further down the train tracks. "Probably where that Saren guy went. He hopped on a cargo train right after he killed your friend." He crossed his arms in anger. "I knew that thing was trouble. Everything's gone to hell since they found it. That damned ship showing up, then the attack." Powell unfolded his arms again, and leaned forward on a crate. "They killed _everyone_. If I hadn't been behind the crates I would be dead too."  
"That's a point." Shepard wondered. "Why didn't anyone else get behind the crates?"  
"I… was already behind them." Powell shifted uncomfortably. "They didn't have a chance."  
"Wait a minute." Kaidan interrupted. "You were hiding behind the crates _before_ the attack?"  
"Yeah." Powell sounded nervous now. "I sometimes take a nap to get through my shift, I hide back there so my supervisor can't find me."  
"You survived because you're _lazy_?" Shepard found the idea incredulous.  
"Bullshit." Ashley growled. "You're Cole's smuggling contact here on the docks. I bet it was something to do with that."  
"What? No!" Powell spluttered. "I mean… what does it matter now? So I'm a smuggler! Who cares? My supervisor is dead, the entire crew is dead. It doesn't matter now, does it?"  
"You smuggle any weapons, Powell?" Shepard inquired. "Anything we can use against the geth?"  
"A shipment of grenades came through last week." Powell admitted. "Nobody notices if a few things go missing from the military orders."  
"You greedy son of a_ bitch!_" Ashley yelled. "We're out here, trying to protect your sorry ass and all you can think about is how to rip us off?!"  
"I'm sorry!" Powell flinched away from Ashley. "I never thought Eden Prime would get attacked! We're just farmers!"  
"You're pathetic." Shepard glared at Powell. "Give me those grenades. Now!"  
"Okay, okay. Just a moment." Powell disappeared for a moment and came back with a small crate. "They're yours. Take them. My smuggling days are over, I swear."  
"You're lying." Shepard drew his pistol and pointed it at Powell. "Too many people died today for you to start jerking me around."  
"Please! I swear!" Powell was terrified. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt! Really! I'm sorry!"  
"You're lucky we have to get to that beacon." Shepard holstered his gun, still glaring.  
"Take the cargo train. That's where the other turian went." Powell wrung his hands together. "I… I can't stay here. I need to get away." So saying, he turned and walked off, shaking his head. Shepard didn't try to stop him. Instead he took the crate of grenades, and split them between the group.  
"These should come in handy." Kaidan thanked Shepard.  
"Let's move. Ashley, you lead." Shepard could tell she was still fuming, and didn't want her to lag behind for any reason. The cargo trains were nearby, and only took a minute to get to. The trains were single platforms, designed to operate individually or as a group depending on the size of the cargo being transferred. Taking the first one in queue, they activated it and rode towards the space station. The ride itself was uneventful, there was nothing to be seen and nobody spoke. Each of them was thinking about the recent events that had occurred. As the train neared the spaceport station, Shepard checked his weapons and heard the others do the same. The train slowed to dock at the spaceport station, and Shepard noticed a large almost cylindrical object on its side by the platform. They disembarked and investigated the object.  
"Demolition charges!" Kaidan muttered. "The geth must have planted them."  
"I got this." Shepard placed his sniper rifle down as he knelt by the bomb. "Cover me, and no grenades until we know this place is clear of other explosives." The bomb was fairly basic; Shepard had no trouble disarming it with his electronics skills. He guessed they weren't expecting company.  
"Contact!" Ashley called, even as she fired a burst from her rifle. Shepard finished with the bomb, and picked his rifle back up.  
"We need to find and disarm any more bombs!" He instructed, as he fired off a snapshot. "Keep your eyes peeled!" They moved off the landing platform and headed up a ramp, which led to a storage section to one side and above the tracks. A pair of bridges spanned the tracks to the other side, where a handful of geth were firing from.  
"Shepard!" Kaidan ducked into cover beside his Commander. "I've got a lock on 3 more probable bomb signatures with my combat sensor. Guess where they all are?"  
"Over the bridge and behind the geth." Shepard didn't need to guess, Kaidan nodded in confirmation anyway. "I don't mean to rush you guys, but that timer had five minutes on it." Shepard was sure he heard Ashley mutter something nasty. "We need to run and gun here, people." Shepard switched to his pistol. "Move!"  
They charges across the closest bridge, fortunately the geth were mostly at the other end of the far bridge. One geth wasn't, it was near the end of the bridge they were charging over, taking cover using a knocked down crate. As it rose to fire it got thrown back by Kaidan's biotics, staggering against the crate behind it, which also made it an easy target for Ashley and Shepard to kill.  
"One bomb to the left, Commander!" Kaidan shouted as they neared the end of the bridge. The remainder of the geth were to the right, and they were not idle. Incoming shots were all around and hitting them as they completed the bridge crossing. Shepard heard the distinct sound of a shield failing, followed by a grunt from Kaidan. The three ducked behind the same crate the geth had used as cover, Kaidan nodding to Shepard that he was fine, and pointing towards the nearby bomb.  
"Cover me." Shepard ran, crouched over to the bomb. A quick glance was all he needed to see the setup was exactly the same as the first device. It only took him a few seconds to disarm it. During that time one of the geth had charged their position, and been taught something about basic tactics as it was cut down by Ashley and Kaidan.  
"Clear!" Shepard shouted at Kaidan.  
"Next one is twenty metres ahead, Commander!" Kaidan readied himself for the move he knew was coming.  
"Ash! Covering fire on my command! Kaidan, ready to move!" Shepard called.  
"Ready!" They replied almost in unison. Shepard waited a few moments for their shields to recharge.  
"Go!" Shepard and Kaidan rushed towards the bomb, while Ashley unleashed a torrent of assault rifle fire. One geth trooper tried to get a sight on Shepard, only to be torn apart by Ashley. As Shepard and Kaidan got into cover near the bomb, Ashley stopped firing.  
"Overheated!" She called out. It would only take matter of seconds for her gun to run through a cool down cycle, but seconds were very precious right now.  
"Stay in cover!" Shepard instructed. He rolled into the alcove next to the bomb, and took the same steps to quickly disarm it. The geth were returning fire, and moving up, trying to protect the bombs. "Clear! Kaidan, where is the last one?" He asked, waiting on the likely answer.  
"Forty metres ahead through the geth, Commander." Kaidan replied. Shepard sighed, and switched back to his sniper rifle.  
"Kaidan, throw something at them, get them distracted so Ashley can advance." Kaidan nodded, and concentrated for a more powerful biotic effect. Shepard had no idea what it was he used, but he suspected a smaller container from the sound of it. Ashley could see, and easily moved up to the other two and into cover. "Burst and suppression. I'll try to pick them off." Shepard gave the new plan, indicating his sniper rifle. Both team members acknowledged the instructions, and opened fire. Ashley was behind an upright crate, and would lean out firing in bursts. Kaidan was crouched behind a fallen over crate, which left Shepard in the alcove with a wall as cover, and to lean against to take shots. The first geth he sighted this way took a round to the neck, demolishing the synthetic material. The geth wobbled for a moment before the light in the visual unit flickered and died, then it collapsed.  
"Got one!" Ashley added to the tally of kills. Shepard lined up one of the remaining two geth, but could only get a decent line of sight on a shoulder. He fired anyway, shattering the joint and hopefully disabling the unit.  
"Kaidan, we're going to use your barrier and push." Shepard switched to his pistol as he changed tactics. "Let me know when you are ready. Ash, we follow Kaidan on my command." Ashley nodded. Shepard waited for Kaidan to indicate he was ready, and as soon as he was Shepard gave the command. A barrier was a biotic defence, boosting shield power and durability for a short time. Shepard knew it would be enough time to get close to the remaining geth, and figured at close range the three of them would easily prevail. The plan worked as Shepard thought it would, the last geth focused on the charging Kaidan, but was unable to get through the biotic barrier before the three had covered the distance. At close range it fell very quickly, for which Shepard was grateful. The final geth Shepard had previously shot in the shoulder was trying to find a weapon; Ashley calmly walked over and finished it off while Shepard disarmed the last bomb. In the mean-time Kaidan took a well-deserved breather. With the last bomb disarmed and all the geth killed, Shepard took a moment to look over the area. Once again nothing was moving, but here there were the ambient sounds of machinery as an encore to the noise of battle that had just completed.  
"All clear, Commander." Kaidan had checked the area for more bombs while resting.  
"Okay. Let's check the spaceport out, try and see why they wanted to blow this place up." Shepard wondered if there was any specific reason for the explosives. Were they trying to hide some evidence? Cause a distraction? Thoughts whirled through Shepard's mind, as they made their way down the off-ramp from the train station to the spaceport docks. The area had been constructed with large landing areas, with plenty of loading and storage zones.  
"Shepard.." Kaidan pointed at something. Shepard cleared his thoughts, and realised that it had to be the beacon. Lights on a sloped base unit surrounded the spot where a thin graceful spire was connected. The spire had a protective covering, similar to the metals used in the base unit, running about halfway up its eight metre height. The covering had similar lights to the base unit running up the sides, but also looked to have some sort of field surrounding it. Shepard likened it to a biotic field, but where the swirling energy surrounding a biotic was more purple in colour, this was a very pale green. Shepard opened communications with Joker.  
"Normandy, the beacon is secure. Request immediate evac." Shepard turned away from the beacon, surveying the area as he gave instructions on their location.  
"This is amazing." Kaidan took a bit of a closer look at the beacon, but not too close. "Actual working prothean technology. Unbelievable!" Ashley was standing with him.  
"It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up."  
"Something must have activated it." Kaidan shrugged, and moved to where Shepard was still talking with the Normandy nearby. Ashley stared at the beacon some more. It was definitely not doing that earlier, and she chose to investigate a little closer. Kaidan reached Shepard just as he was finishing the call.  
"Roger, Normandy. Standing by." Shepard turned as Kaidan spoke.  
"Every ready, Commander?"  
"The Normandy is on its way, Lieutenant." Shepard advised. "We just need to keep an eye on the..." Shepard's voice trailed off as glanced past Kaidan to Ashley. She looked to be struggling, and appeared that she was being pulled towards the beacon by some force. Shepard shoved past Kaidan, who turned in surprise, and rushed to her aid. Grabbing Ashley around the middle, Shepard tried to pull her back unsuccessfully. With an extreme effort, he swivelled his entire body weight to throw her back, away from the beacon. This, however, left Shepard in the place Ashley had previously been standing, and he was instantly caught. Briefly he saw Kaidan helping Ashley to her feet before something assailed his senses. Abruptly, Shepard was lifted from his feet, his body forced vertically straight, arms near his sides. Random, frightful images rapidly bombarded his brain. Dimly he thought he heard yelling from his team, but could make nothing out. Shepard struggled to control the horror inflicted from the images, before he felt a detonation that made everything go black.


End file.
